'Shinde remark to split minority votes'

A Delhi court on Monday recorded the pre-summoning evidence of a person who has filed a defamation case against Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde for his remarks linking BJP and RSS with Hindu terrorism.

A Delhi court on Monday recorded the pre-summoning evidence of a person who has filed a defamation case against Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde for his remarks linking BJP and RSS with Hindu terrorism.

The petitioner, V P Kumar, recorded his statement before metropolitan magistrate Amitabh Rawat, who has fixed the matter for hearing the arguments on summoning of Shinde and also for further recording of evidence on February 13.

"On request, put up for further pre summoning of evidence on February 13," the court said.

The court asked the complainant to record the evidence after it heard his counsel Monika Arora, who said Shinde had "wilfully" made the remarks to cause hatred among communities.

Kumar said Shinde's remarks were aimed at polarising minority votes in the 2014 polls. "The statement is not only defamatory but also contains the insinuation that Hindu religion is involved in anti-national activities," the petition said.